Dogs and Pipelines. Interview with Pipe Dogs

An awesome interview with Pipe Dogs where we learn how our working canine friends can improve pipeline integrity quickly. To reach out to Richard direct email him at Richard@pipedogs.com and to learn more about Pipe Dogs click here.

Mark: Hey, folks let’s learn something new about the oil and gas industry.

Today, we’re here with Richard. Hey, Richard.

Richard:Hi, good morning, Mark.

Mark: And, Richard has a fascinating story that combines two things that most people would not put together and that is highly trained dogs and pipelines.

So, Richard what the heck are you doing with dogs and pipelines?

Richard: Well, what we decided to do was to put together pipe dogs, we use highly trained dogs to search out leaks in the oil and gas industry. And we do that by injecting a scent into the line as the line is being tested.

Mark: So, are you telling me that you’re out there competing with all these electronic and field testing, but you’re using the highly trained sense of smell of a dog?

Richard: That is correct. I kind of look at pipe dogs as a simple solution to a complex problem and what I mean by that is, you know, it’s just me and the dog out there and even one of the member of my teams. And we made things happen and it’s kind of a – it’s kind of a one shot deal really, you know, once we inject the line with that – with that scent and we walk the line when the dogs identify and locate that scent, we’ll just simply locate the leak.

Mark: Yeah. And so, getting the dogs out there to actually help find these – these leaks in the pipelines, is that quicker than the conventional method of doing it?

Richard: Well, I don’t – I can’t say that it’s quicker, what I can say is I think we can reduce downtime and what I mean by that is when we walk that right away after we put that odor in the line, if that – if there’s a leak, I mean we only do that when we know there’s a leak and there’s a couple of other options, but we walk that line one time and once we’ve identified and then when the dog picks up that leak, then, yes, it kind of shortens the time, so we don’t have to go – keep going back and forth and bracketing and reducing the amount of time that we spent out there in the line. We walk – walk the line, we use the wind to our advantage because that’s one of the things that is kind of disadvantage for some technologies out there, but for us, we use that to our advantage because that helps the dog focus in and target right to the saturation point.

Mark: So that means that you and your dogs actually increase uptime if there’s a problem in the pipeline, you actually get them back up and operating quicker than normal?

Richard: Yes, I’d like to think we do, yes.

Mark: And then, I’ve seen videos. Folks, we’re going to throw some videos of these dogs working. Your dogs are obviously are working, but they’re having fun at the same time?

Richard: Absolutely, you know, their reward is a ball and we use that ball, we have the scent attached to that ball. It sits in a box with – with the scent just kind of absorbs it residually and they go out and they work for that ball like you and I would, you know, we work for a paycheck, well, the dogs are working out there for that ball. So, that’s what drives them to do what they do.

Mark: So, how big a footprint do you operate, is it just North America, I mean if somebody want to pack you up and shipped to Siberia would you jump on the plane with your dogs?

Richard: I would, I’ll go anywhere in the world.

Mark: Okay. So, this is awesome. So, folks, you know, if you’re looking – if you touch pipeline integrity or even if you’re doing new construction and you’re looking hydrostatic testing, Richard and his dogs could do a lot of high quality work for you to actually save you money in downtime.

So, Richard if people wanted to find out more about what you do, where should they go?

Richard: Well, we’ve got a website, you could find us at Pipedogs.com and if you want to reach out to me, you can – I’m – you could get me at richard@pipedogs.com.

Mark: Yeah, perfect. Sometimes I do this to people who want to give their phone number, I’d go, no, don’t put your phone number on public video. So, yeah, so folks, we’ll put links in the show notes both to his website and his e-mail address.

So, Richard, man, thank you so much for spending time with us today.

Richard: Oh, you’re welcome, Mark. Thanks for having us and, you know, I’m glad [Jared] head from JP Services introduced me to you, I think what you do is fantastic and thanks for letting us be a part of that.

Mark: Yeah, I appreciate that. We have this little network going and people are making introductions, I get to meet fascinating people like Richard. So, Richard, good luck to you.